Contestants from all across the country have just arrived in Toronto – Welcome to Toronto everyone!

We kicked off our first night with the official Sponsor Party, where we got to meet and network with many new faces! All the national contestants attended the MCW Sponsor Party as VIP guests. This was such a great way to start off the week! Here are some highlights from the sponsors I met!

Arrival photo!

I loved my arrival dress and shoes for the opening party. Did you know I borrowed it from my best friend? I knew she owned this fabulous outfit and she came all the way from Montreal to give it to me and let me borrow it!

I was so excited to get my “Ontario” sash and represent my province of Ontario. Here’s my first picture with both my Miss Toronto and Ontario sash – definitely a great start to the evening!

These pompom sneakers immediately caught my attention from afar! I don’t currently own any shoes with pompoms but it’s the new craze, I’m telling you! It used to be trendy for your keychains and bagcharms but now you need them on your shoes! The winner of Miss World Canada will be receiving 3 pairs of sneakers – wow thank you Skechers Canada!

GGG is a household name when it comes to everything beauty. In fact, this is not the first or second time I have met them! It just goes to show how much their brand has been growing and how great their services/products are! Their infamous spray tan is something I would definitely recommend. We wanted to come up with a creative picture that is more than just standing and posing with their logo….and the result is this live-action picture of my leg getting sprayed on the spot!

On Tuesday, Snappy Towels will be doing a little competition with the Miss World Canada contestants! It will be an underwater selfie challenge where you have to swim to the bottom of the pool and take a selfie – what a fun idea!

Snappy Towels are light, easy to pack, small in size, dries fast – basically all the convenient features you can imagine. It also acts as a quick snap-on dress, over your shoulders, around your waist, or even a tote bag!

Have you heard about Street Chic and the new hashtag #streetchic? It is an online magazine that is innovative in the way it presents Canadian street fashion. I had the pleasure of meeting the Managing Director of Street Chic, Lily Liao. She is also from China, just like me! And beyond Chinese, we also share the language of fashion! We had such a nice conversation getting to know each other and I’m very excited to be able to contribute an article for Street Chic!

Raven Social Media Booth came equipped with all the latest social media technology to capture our eventful evening! This neat little photobooth even came with ring lights! It doubled-up as a good light source for cellphone selfies too! This was such a good addition to our sponsor party and you receive your boomerangs instantly in your email!

Check out these cute lip tints that we got from our sponsor The Kraco! They come in a variety of colors and scents. This one actually smells exactly like real chocolate! Makes you want to lick your lips!

I will definitely be using these beauty products for myself and everyday. They are so convenient to carry and I now put one in all my purses!

Did you know that Nine West Canada is Miss World Canada’s official footwear sponsor for our opening number and swimwear competition? You might’ve bee noticing the same nude-colored heels that the contestants have been wearing all week. Thanks to Nine West, every contestant received a pair of competition heels for free!

Archer Dental is located right here in Toronto where I live! They sponsored us with little gift bags of toothpaste and toothbrushes (which will also help out the girls who forgot to bring them to the pageant)! There are 2 locations in Toronto and they’ve got some raving reviews online! Definitely something to check out if you’re ever looking for dental services!

Hashtagio is a social media expert that is all about the power of user-generated content. This is the hottest trend right now and let me know you, I’ve seen this firsthand myself! The official hashtag for Miss World Canada is #missworldcanada and they brought a projector that showed our live social media posts under the hashtag. What a cool idea to bring!

Tastic Marketing also had a booth setup to promote their digital marketing services. If you are ever looking for paid advertising, search engine optimization, or social media advertising, this is your answer! Furthermore, you can first get a free consultation!

Last but not least, to add some more fun into our evening, Isabella Hoops Entertainment was here with lots of colorful hoola hoops to play with! It was a great way to de-stress and it worked as an icebreaker for the girls! You can book them for any performance of event you may have. Thank you for coming!

Have you heard of Street Chic? It is the new lingo nowadays for street fashion! Street Chic looks for fashion inspiration from all across the country. I had the opportunity to partner up with their official website and post about my it-girl find on the streets of Toronto!

As a part of my Miss World Beauty with a Purpose project, I have founded my own nonprofit jewelry line called The Modern Princess. 100% Proceeds will be donated to the Children’s Wish Foundation, the official charity partner of Miss World Canada!

I am so happy to announce that my store will be participating in the Good Shepherd’s upcoming Golf Tournament, in support of the Good Shepherd Ministries and services for the homeless and disadvantaged. There will be a silent auction to help raise funds and I have put together a gift box with my store’s products! Stay tuned for more updates about the upcoming event on July 13!

Representing the largest city in Canada, I was very excited about Canada’s 150th birthday! I had a much-anticipated weekend full of events planned. Here are all of the highlights!

My Canada Day started out downtown Toronto with my red and white colors all ready! There were so many events going on this year, especially since it’s the 150th Canada Day. My first stop was at Nathan Phillips Square, where the signature Toronto sign resides and the historic Yonge-Dundas Square.

My meet-and-greet was so much fun! I met people from all over the world – from local Torontonians to visitors from England! Check out some of the pictures below!

Up next was the Canada Day Paradeand I was really thrilled about having my own float! Although it began to rain, it didn’t stop everybody’s spirits! We still started on time and everybody embraced the Canadian weather! My ride was at the very end of the parade, alongside the Mayor of Markham, Frank Scarpitti.

Have you heard about the big yellow duck that visited Toronto’s waterfront? I got a front-row view of the rubber duck on its first day of arrival! Look at how big it is!

It is the first time we’ve had this in Toronto and it attracted a record-breaking number of visitors! Too bad it will only be here for 4 days, before it continues its tour across Ontario.

Notice I’m still keeping up the red and white color scheme? 😉 I had it all planned out ahead of time! It was such a busy Canada Day weekend and I got to meet so many people! I hope you all had an enjoyable long weekend yourselves! Check out some more of my picture highlights below:

Hi everyone! For my first Miss World Canada blog assignment, I will be telling you all my favorite place in the region I represent, which is Toronto!

Where do I even start? Toronto is Canada’s largest city and always ever-changing! How could I possibility pin down one favorite spot in such a beautifully diverse city? After putting a lot of thought into this, I finally chose the winner….

The Toronto Centre Island is accessible by a public ferry at the Toronto lakefront, just south of Union Station. It’s super easy to get there and the ferry also runs a pretty frequent schedule! Fun fact: the ferry is just a 10-minute walk from my work office at PwC. Very tempting to close my computer and hop down the street!

Let me tell you all about this city escape! The islands offer a diverse range of activities for all ages and it can keep you busy for a whole full day! I bring my little siblings here for picnics and they love making sand castles on the beach. At the same time, it is also perfect for a romantic date and stroll in the park! There really is something for everyone!

Beautiful scenery on the island!

Amusement Park. Centreville amusement park gives just the right touch of adventure to the island! And yes, the island is big enough to fit all the rides!

Food. There are plenty of food options on the island, don’t worry about bringing snacks! You’ve got to try the calamari at the Carousel Cafe!

Beaches. The islands are surrounded by golden beaches and endless lake views. Visit the island on a weekday when it’s less busy and enjoy the scenery!

Sports. Want to go biking, canoeing, or kayaking? There are so many options for outdoor sports! You could even rent a bike that fits 4 people!

Kayaking around the island with a view of the CN Tower!

Those are only a few of the endless things to do on the island! Like I said, there is enough to keep you busy for a whole day!

Another great use of this location is for photoshoots! You can also tell from the pictures in this post that the island always gets me feeling artsy about photography 😀There are so many different gorgeous backdrops to find around the island, giving you unlimited picture inspiration. Beyond all the beaches, there is lots of forestry, grasslands, and also a historic lighthouse!

Fun fact: 2 years ago I played on a local ultimate frisbee team and the final tournament was hosted on the island! We took advantage of the huge grass fields and had a blast! The ferry ride there was all about team spirit and getting all pumped up. 😀

Fun fact: My school, the University of Toronto, hosts their annual first year orientation party on the island! Last year, I worked as a part of the organizing committee and it was so much fun! We brought over nearly 1000 students by bus and filled up 2 ferry boats. The party had a live DJ, BBQ, patio dancefloor, and a nightview of the city. Definitely a night to remember!

Don’t forget about tanning!

Now, one final thing I love about the island is all the sunlight you can catch! There is no better way to enjoy the Toronto summers! It really doesn’t matter that it’s a lake. To me, I call Toronto home and this is my tropical paradise. It’s like a mini-vacation for me. 😉

If you ever visit Toronto, you’ve got to drop by this destination. Beyond the traffic and buzz of the city, this city escape awaits you…

I had the great pleasure of volunteering today at the Good Shepherd Ministry in Toronto. The Good Shepherd is a facility that offers everything from a hot meal and clean clothes to someone to listen and help. They truly make a difference and an impact on the community!

Getting ready before the doors open!

Every day from 2-4pm, they offer hot meals to everyone who walks in through the door. It is the largest free meal program in the City of Toronto! I took a day off from work to come help with the busy afternoon. It was my first time visiting and it was so great to meet all the staff and other volunteers!

The whole experience was so rewarding and insightful. I had the opportunity to meet and chat with many of the individuals who dropped by for a meal. Everyone was pleased that Miss Toronto was their lunch server for the day 😀 Special thanks to the PwC Canada Foundation for partnering up with the Good Shepherd and giving employees a paid day-off from work to volunteer!

It is time to kick off my Miss Toronto Public Speaking Tour and I’m so excited to share some upcoming details!

As I have mentioned in my first blog post, the personal platform I have chosen as Miss Toronto is education. I believe that knowledge is a priceless form of human capital that we should all share with one another. Coming from a background in public speaking, I really wanted to find a way to combine both of my passions. The result was the idea to carry out my platform through a public speaking tour!

One of my tour stops at Dundas Jr Public School

The Tour
I’m excited to be working with Toronto District School Board schools to carry out my message to the next generation of bright minds – elementary school students! I will be visiting schools across the city to promote my platform and speak to students about empowerment through education. Other themes that I cover include goal-setting, motivation, and time management! I’ve got a very positive message to spread and I look forward to all the many young stars I will be meeting!

Dundas Jr Public School

One my tour stops this week was at Dundas Jr Public School and I had a great time meeting all the students, teachers, and staff! Everyone was so kind and welcoming! The girls asked if I was a real princess and I told them that they are all princesses – they were absolutely precious. Seeing how interested everyone was in my crown, I started passing it around and letting everyone give it a try. The students loved it and I was so happy to see them all smiling! Stay tuned for more updates on my tour!

Want to know what Miss Toronto is busy with during the day? I’ll tell you all about my daytime job at PricewaterhouseCoopers!

I work full-time at PwC in Assurance, or in other words, audit and accounting. And no it’s not just all number crunching! 😛 I got hired during my 2nd year of university at the University of Toronto, and it was a blessing to know that a job was waiting for me at graduation!

My job is completely external and client-focused, which means I get to travel around to my clients throughout the year. I specialize in clients from the asset management, real estate, and government industries. One of the best parts about the job is seeing something new everyday. I meet a new company and look at a different part of the file every 2 weeks!

I’ve always wanted to work downtown Toronto in the financial district and this job was a dream come true. I still remember when I got the phone call that I had been selected for the job – I was crying and I immediately called all my family and friends! 😀

The next step in my career will be obtaining my professional accounting license, and I am very close to my CPA, CA! Having a public accounting license will mean that I can sign off on audited financial statements! Beauty and brain certainly does go hand-in-hand 😉

Want to get to know your Miss Toronto-World 2017? Here are some fun facts!

I love ice cream! I don’t know about you but ice cream is good for any time of the day, any time of the year! One of my favourites is the half-vanilla, half-chocolate from the ice cream truck 😀

I released my first music album in 2014. I titled it “Dreamer,” because the album was the result of a lot of ambition, hard work, and daring to dream! It features classical music that catches a wide range of moods, instruments, and styles. I absolutely love everything about music and the boundless creativity. Next summer, I am anticipating my second album to come…stay tuned!

I grew up with ballet.At 6 years old, I started grade1 by training full-time in ballet! I later transferred back to normal public school but I will forever be grateful for the foundation in ballet that blossomed my career in dance. It even helps with pageants and my catwalk!

Scientist + Beauty Queen. I was one of the 30 students selected from across Ontario to attend the Ontario Science Centre Science School. It’s a specialized science program with classrooms right inside the Science Centre, while still earning your high school credits! If you are a high school student interested in science, I would recommend you to apply!

I teach at UofT. As a part-time job, I teach 4th year Advanced Financial Accounting at the University of Toronto! I graduated only a year ago, so that means my students are the 3rd years when I was in 4th year! Teaching the students are always the highlight of my week and it’s the funnest job ever!

The Children’s Wish Foundation is the official charity platform of Miss World Canada. In addition to my own platform of choice as Miss Toronto, national finalists for Miss World Canada will also be fundraising for the Children’s Wish Foundation.

My Fundraiser

One of the many ways in which I will be fundraising for the Children’s Wish Foundation is through starting my own line of jewelry! I’ve always had a passion for fashion, style, and entrepreneurship and this was the perfect opportunity to combine everything together. I started my own jewelry shop called The Modern Princess and it features a wide selection of versatile accessories for all ages.

I am so happy to announce that 100% proceeds go to the Children’s Wish Foundation! Take a look through my store – free shipping offer available! Check out some of these popular products!

The “Modern Princess” store name comes from the fact that being a princess is not just about outer beauty – it is also about helping others and contributing back to the community. That is the charitable message I want to promote with my store.Children’s Wish Foundation

I was so excited when Miss World Canada formally announced that the official charity will be the Children’s Wish Foundation. The Children’s Wish Foundation is a Canadian charity that grants wishes to children diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses. There is truly something magical about what they do and the dreams that they make come true. Find out more about the Children’s Wish Foundation and the wishes here.

About Miss Toronto World

Alice is a dreamer at heart and full of ambition. She recently graduated as the Valedictorian from the University of Toronto. Now, she works in audit at PwC and teaches 4th year accounting at UofT. Her goal of helping others have inspired her to start her own consulting company that helps students find jobs. Outside of business, Alice works in the modelling, dance, and music industry.
With her title of Miss Toronto, Alice hopes to an ambassador and positive role model. She has founded a nonprofit jewelry line with all proceeds to charity. Follow Alice here on her journey to Miss World Canada!